The Same Side (University Park #2) (15 page)

“Lexi?” Mom interrupted my pleasant thoughts.

“Yeah?” I redirected my focus.

“What time can I expect you two?”

Rolling onto my stomach, I felt the irritation swelling inside of me. I really didn’t want to go home, even if it was the holidays. Being around my mom was not fun or relaxing. I’d forgo the presents just to get her off my back.

“I don’t know, let me call—” I stopped midsentence when my phone beeped. I pulled away, hoping it was Raven coming to my rescue. My head hit the mattress when I saw that it was Luke. “That’s Luke calling. I’ll talk to him and then I’ll let you know when we’re leaving.”

“Okay, but don’t be too late. The day is halfway gone and—”

“Gotta go, Mom.” I hung up, not giving her a chance to say bye.

“Hey, I was just on the phone with Mom.”

“Good. Now I don’t have to call her back.” Luke sounded relieved, but I knew I would take the brute of the nagging since my breakup with Collin was at the top of her conversation list. I just hoped she didn’t have plans to try to get Collin and me back together. But something told me that would be her new quest.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” I sighed. “She wants to know when we’re coming home.”

“Never,” Luke snorted.

“I’d stay here at the dorms if they were keeping them open, but they aren’t.”

“Yeah, too bad for you. At least I can escape to my apartment.”

I rolled off the bed and opened my closet door, pulling out my luggage. “Rub it in, why don’t you.”

“Well, you can always come over here.”

Struggling with the straps, I gave a hard yank. “Um, no thanks. My luck, Collin would be there.”

“Have you talked to him?” Luke’s voice lowered and I listened in the background for Collin. Was he with him or had he already headed to his parents’ house for the break?

“No,” I quickly answered. “I don’t plan to either. I’m done with him.”

“Shit. Don’t get so offensive.”

Thumbing through my clothes, I pulled a few shirts and pants off the hangers and tossed them on my bed. “I’m not. It’s just that I don’t have anything to talk him about. Our relationship is over.”

Luke stalled for a moment and I got the sense that he had talked to Collin. Part of me wanted to pry and ask out of curiosity and the general care I had for Collin, but another part of me didn’t want to know. I made the decision to end it and I had moved on.

“Maybe you should give him a call. See how he’s doing.”

I grabbed another handful of clothes and flung them on the bed. Frustration tinged my blood. Why did my family insist on telling me what to do? “I’m guessing you talked to him, right?” I prodded. “Otherwise, why would you be telling me to call him?”

“Look, I told you I’d stay out of it and I meant it.” I could hear the frustration building in his voice, too. “I really don’t care if you call him or not. I just suggested it, that’s all.”

“Fine.” I opened the drawer to my dresser, grabbed a handful of my panties, and tossed them in the suitcase.

“Fine.” His voice was firm and deep. “What time will you be ready?”

Glancing around my room, I sighed. Clothes were strung along my bed and hangers were everywhere. “In a few hours. I need to finish packing and take a shower.”

“Alright, I’m in no rush anyway.” His voice shifted once again. I thought about asking him about Delaney, but figured he had already talked to her and it was best if I didn’t get involved in their business. After I had forced her to go party with me last night, I didn’t want to get her in trouble.

“I’ll text you when I’m ready.”

“Okay,” Luke replied and hung up the phone.

For the next hour, I gathered everything I would need for the four-week holiday break. I was dreading every minute of it, wishing I didn’t have to go home. I checked my phone several times, wondering why I hadn’t heard from Raven. If last night’s conversation had taken place, which I was pretty sure it had, why hadn’t he called me? I checked the time once more. It was half past one and I knew he had to be awake. Why hadn’t he called me? My fingers hovered over the keyboard and I clenched my teeth together. It took all my effort not to reach out to him, but I forced myself to be patient. To wait and let him call me. I didn’t want to seem desperate, even though I was.

At two-thirty, I was beside myself. I messaged Delaney and she told me what I didn’t want to hear — either be patient or call him. It wasn’t the advice I wanted, but in reality, those were the only two choices I had. I opted for the toughest one and continued to wait. After getting dressed, I finally convinced myself that he wasn’t going to call and I was so damn drunk that I must have dreamed the whole damn conversation.

Picking up my phone, I texted Luke.

Me: I’m ready when you are.

It took him a few minutes to respond.

Luke: I’ll be there in about thirty minutes. Let Mom know.

Growling, I reluctantly typed out a message to our mother.

Me: We’ll be home in an hour or so.

Mom: Please hurry. The news said a storm is coming in tonight. Snow and sleet. I want to get to the mall as soon as you get here. We can decorate tomorrow.

I thought about telling her that she didn’t need me to go shopping, but I knew that would result in a phone call and I really didn’t want to talk to her more than I had to. With indifference, I responded.

Me: Okay. We will be there soon.

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I stared at my phone as if that would do any good. No matter how hard I willed for a message or call from Raven, it didn’t happen. I reached into my bag and took out my Kindle. I scrolled through several books I had last downloaded and settled on
Taking the Heat
by Samantha Long. I propped up against my bed to start reading, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t focus. My mind wouldn’t stop thinking about Raven. Why hadn’t he called me?

Feeling overly frustrated, I powered down my Kindle, grabbed my stuff, and headed downstairs. I refused to sit around in my room for one more minute. Raven’s scent lingered in the air and it was driving me even more insane.

I rolled my luggage behind me and walked toward the one thing I knew would help, the piano. It had been weeks since I had played. A vivid memory crossed my mind and I recalled the last song I had played was with Raven.

Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.

Pushing aside the memories, I sat my things along the wall and took a seat on the bench. People shuffled behind me, hauling their belongings out of the dorm, but I didn’t let it stop me.

I lifted the fallboard and stretched my fingers across the keyboard. The cold, ivory keys felt good against my skin. The tips of my fingers hovered over the black and white keys and automatically started pushing them as if the song couldn’t wait to be released from me. I played softly at first, then louder and stronger as I unleashed all the pent up anguish harboring around my heart. Why the hell were guys so damn confusing? Why couldn’t they just face their emotions?

Tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them back. I had nothing to cry about. Just because Raven had told me he wanted to be with me and wanted to have sex with me, didn’t mean he would.

I played the chords over and over again, whispering the lyrics to
Stay
by Rihanna under my breath. I truly didn’t know what to think or how to feel about Raven and me. But there was something about him. Something about the way he made me feel. Something that I couldn’t live without.

I closed my eyes as my fingers continued pressing the keys. The song fit Raven and me so perfectly. I hated it, but I couldn’t stop playing it. It soothed me in a weird kind of way. I wished Raven could hear me playing it. Hear me saying how much I needed him and how much I couldn’t stand being without him.

“It’s not much of a life you’re living.” My breath faltered and my body stiffened. I knew I had to be dreaming again because Raven’s voice was echoing in my ear. I opened my eyes and turned to see him standing behind me. How long had he been watching me? He stood with his jacket hanging off the tip of his finger, hitched over his shoulder. He had on a blue, striped shirt and faded jeans, paired with work-type boots. My eyes stayed glued to his sexy, model stance and I wondered what magazine cover he’d be on next. Raven was the best eye candy I had ever seen. The candy my body craved.

He laid his jacket on the floor and took a seat next to me. He continued singing and I had to take a deep breath to get my body moving again. I hit a few wrong keys, but kept playing. I couldn’t believe that he was actually there. He stared intently at me and all sense of worry and sadness seemed to vanish in an instant. His presence had a way of doing that to me and no matter how hard I tried to warn myself to be cautious, my heart took full control of the situation. Every time.

Something told me the words he sang were exactly how he felt. That he couldn’t live without me; that he wanted to stay with me. My heart soared to a new level of contentedness as our gazes connected. We began to sing, creating a lyrical dialogue that we were both too afraid to say out loud. Telling each other that the reason we held on was because we both needed the hole in our bodies gone. That we were both broken and we both needed saving. Even though we had no idea who was in need of it most.

We continued singing, not missing a beat until the song ended. Our eyes stayed fixed as we poured our hearts into each other. Our connection not only reunited us, but also took us a step deeper. I knew exactly how he felt and I was one-hundred percent sure he knew how I felt. We were the only people that could truly save each other.

“That was beautiful, Lexi.” Raven tucked a stray strand of hair away from my face, reducing my body to a puddle of water. I was a lost cause and totally consumed by The Raven’s trap. But there was no one else I’d rather be imprisoned by.

“Thank you, but I messed up.” I removed my hands from the keyboard and held them tightly in my lap. Every muscle twitched, eager to embrace him and never let go.

“It’s okay. No one’s perfect.” He leaned closer to me and nudged me with his shoulder. “We all make mistakes. At least, I know I do.”

I swallowed hard, trying to clear the knot in my throat. Why the hell was I so nervous? “I’m, um, no exception. I make mistakes just like you.”

He cocked a brow. “Then that only means one thing.”

“What’s that?” My voice lifted in anticipation and my stomach twisted, hoping that he was about to tell me what I wanted to hear.

“We’re good for each other.”

Σ

Chapter 10

I smiled and my heart filled with an insurmountable amount of joy. Raven was confirming his decision to be with me. I pressed my lips together, trying to stop the trembling because I was on the verge of happy tears. But it was no use. One escaped and Raven caught it with the pad of his thumb.

“Lexi?” He cupped my face with his hands and I instantly lost myself even further.

Placing my hands on his chest, I responded, “Yes, Raven.”

“Do you wanna hang out today?” His alluring eyes roamed my face as though committing every part of me into memory. “And every day after that?”

“More than you will ever know,” I whispered against his lips.

His mouth parted and my eyes fluttered to a close. My heart did a happy dance as his lips pressed to mine. I spread my hands over his broad shoulders and pulled him into me. His familiar scent encamped me and I felt safe and somewhat whole again.

“Lexi?”

We stopped kissing and I jumped at the sound of my brother’s voice.

“Luke. Hey. I, um…” I hopped off the piano bench and retrieved my phone from my back pocket. “I didn’t realize you’d be here so soon.” I glanced at the clock on my phone, but my mind couldn’t piece together how much time had passed since I’d texted him.

“What’s going on?” Luke looked at me and then at Raven. His eyes were as wide as saucers and his mouth was slightly agape.

Raven got up from the bench slowly and then stood beside me. He shoved one hand in his pant pocket and ran the other over his short hair. A perplexed expression formed on his face as his eyes darted back and forth between Luke and me.

“Hey, man…good to see you.” Raven extended his hand and Luke hesitantly gripped it. Apparently, Raven knew my brother. “Lexi is your sister?”

“Yeah.” Luke nodded.

“No shit.” Raven’s voice lilted.

They continued shaking hands as their stare deepened. I said a silent prayer that things weren’t about to get ugly. “What are you doing with her?” Luke asked.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins. I felt like I had just been caught with my pants down even though I knew I had nothing to be nervous about. I was free to see whomever I wanted. Suddenly, I felt barricaded between them, but refused to let this turn bad. “You two know each other?”

They both looked at me and finally stopped shaking hands as reality set in. “Yeah, we’ve know each other for a while.” Luke shot me a quick gaze while keeping a watchful eye on Raven.

“I’ve trained with your brother several times.” Raven’s head bobbed back and forth, as he was working to put two and two together. “I can’t believe Luke Thompson is your brother. You two look nothing alike.”

“We’re not identical, remember? And we have the same last name, so…”